This is the Way to Do It

 

I always worry about overcooking steak. Overcooked steak is just the worst stuff ever. This is one of those recipes that is hard to screw up. It's the perfect way to cook steak. You are going to love these fajitas. They are easy and delicious.

 

Easy Sheet-Pan Beef Fajitas

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced onion (1/4-inch slices)
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso original taco seasoning mix
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak
8 (6-inch) Old El Paso flour tortillas
Sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for topping, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 18x13-inch rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper to sheet pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix; stir to coat, spreading mixture evenly in pan. Bake 15 minutes; stir.

Meanwhile, cut steak into 1/4-inch strips; place in small bowl. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining seasoning mix until combined and coated. Place on pan with vegetables. Bake 7 to 9 minutes longer or until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.

Heat tortillas as directed on package. Using tongs, transfer steak mixture to serving platter or, if serving on sheet pan, carefully drain excess liquid from pan before serving.

Spoon steak and veggies onto each tortilla. Serve with remaining ingredients.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: I used a 1 lb. flank steak instead of sirloin steak. I also used a fajita seasoning mix instead of a taco seasoning mix. In addition to that, I increased the bell peppers because I wanted more veggies. I used three: a red, an orange, and a yellow bell pepper.

Crowd Pleasing Mexican Pasta Salad

 

As the title suggests, this pasta salad with a definite crowd pleaser and fan favorite. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

 

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. uncooked pasta (we used macaroni)
1 tablespoon butter
3 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 package (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

Directions:

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Cool 10 minutes.

While pasta is boiling, heat 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add butter and corn to skillet. Char the corn on each side, about 10 minutes total. Cut corn off cobs; place in large bowl.

Add cooked pasta to bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine.

Refrigerate about 4 hours or until chilled before serving.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Everyone went back for seconds with this pasta salad. Good stuff.

Gooey Sugar Cookie Bars

 

Here is a dessert that will hit the spot. It is the perfect dessert if you are craving fresh strawberries.

Gooey Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

Bar:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup butter, melted

Topping:

3 cups coarsely chopped strawberries (about 1 lb)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir cookie mix and 1/2 cup softened butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Spread mixture evenly in pan; press lightly.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, eggs, and vanilla with electric mixer on low sped until blended; scrape bottom and side of bowl. beat on high speed until smooth. Beat in 1/3 cup melted butter until blended. Pour over cookie mixture; spread evenly.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

Just before serving, in medium bowl, mix strawberries, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and the lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. To serve, cut bars into 5 rows by 3 rows. Top each with strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate any remaining bars.

Source: Betty Crocker website. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really tasty and addicting.

Strawberry Shortcake...Cake Style

 

My mom made this cake to celebrate my sister's birthday. It was beautiful, delicious, and it got gobbled up quickly by everyone (even the kids!).

 

Strawberry Shortcake Poke Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
1 cup milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 eggs

Strawberry Poke Mixture:

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Cream Cheese Glaze:

3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Garnish:

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray 10- or 12- cup bundt cake pan with cooking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat Cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Increase speed to medium, beat 2 minutes, and pour batter into pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in food processor or blender, puree Strawberry Poke Mixture ingredients until smooth; transfer to a 4-cup glass measuring cup, and set aside. while still in pan, poke holes in cake with end of wooden spoon at 1/2-inch intervals going almost to bottom. Use wet paper towel to wipe ends of spoon after each poke. Carefully pour poke mixture over holes in cake, using spoon to direct mixture into holes. If necessary, poke existing holes to makes room for more mixture.

Cool 40 minutes, refrigerate in pan 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator, and run metal spatula around outer and inside edges of pan to loosen cake; turn upside down onto serving platter.

In medium bowl, mix Cream Cheese Glaze ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. If too thick, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency. Glaze cake as desired; garnish with strawberries.

Source: Betty Crocker website. You can find it here.

Notes: As I said above, this was delicious and everyone loved it!

It's Not Fall Without Pumpkin

 

So, apparently my mom hates pumpkin. However, I just have to have something with pumpkin in it around this time of year. It's just a flavor that says "autumn" to me.

Here's a great cake to help you take care of your pumpkin cravings this fall.

 

Pumpkin Layered Magic Cake

Ingredients:

Cake Layer:
1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist yellow cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Pumpkin Layer:
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup half-and-half
3 eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Pumpkin pie spice, for sprinkling

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat Cake Layer ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Scrape bowl; beat 2 minutes on medium speed. Spread in pan.

In another large bowl, mix Pumpkin Layer ingredients with whisk until smooth. Carefully spoon pumpkin mixture over cake batter in pan.

Bake 48 to 53 minutes or until cake is set when touched lightly in center. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to chill.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth. Add whipping cream; beat until smooth, and stiff peaks form. Spread over chilled cake. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice. Store covered in refrigerator.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: I was worried after I baked this that the pumpkin layer hadn't sunk to the bottom. I really couldn't tell from the outside of the pan, but once I cut into it, it had turned out perfectly. This dessert is so easy to put together and will take care of your pumpkin craving for sure.

There Are Never Too Many Versions of Tres Leches Cake

 

Ahhh, tres leches cake is so good. We have a few versions on our blog already...chocolate version 1, chocolate version 2, the eggnog version, the banana version, and the best classic version (which I need to post on its own with a much better picture rather than in this huge post about Cinco de Mayo). Not to mention our favorite poke cakes which are very similar to tres leches...this pumpkin version among many, for example.

If you love red velvet cake and you love tres leches cake, why not combine the two?

 

Red Velvet Tres Leches Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 bottle (1 oz) red food color

Tres Leches:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup Irish cream liqueur (or Irish cream coffee creamer)

Frosting and Decoration:

1 1/2 cups whipped cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or spray 13x9-inch pan. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scarping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.

Bake 28-32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Poke top of cake every 1/2 inch with wooden skewer.

In small bowl, mix tres leches ingredients. Spoon mixture evenly over top of cake, allowing mixture to soak into holes. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until mixture is absorbed.

In medium bowl, stir together whipped cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Frost cake with whipped cream mixture; sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

Source: Found on Que Rica Vida. You can find it here.

Notes: As with all tres leches cakes, this was sooo good!

 

A Different Kind of Slow Cooker Sandwiches

 

These sandwiches aren't shredded. It's a new way to use deli meat and a different way to make sandwiches with your slow cooker.

 

Slow-Cooker Ham Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 lb. shaved deli ham

Sandwiches:

8 deli rolls, pretzel rolls, or kaiser rolls, toasted
8 slices pepper Jack cheese
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup honey mustard or mayonnaise

Directions:

In a 2-quart saucepan, mix all the ham ingredients except the shaved deli ham. Heat to boiling; boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place shaved deli ham in 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Pour boiled liquid on top of ham; cover and cook on high heat setting 2 hours.

Use fork or slotted spoon to transfer ham to rolls. Top ham immediately with a slice of cheese and arugula. Spread mayonnaise or honey mustard on tops of rolls and place on top of arugula. Serve immediately.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really tasty. I loved the combination of flavors. Plus, I loved that they were really easy to make. This recipe is a keeper!

Put Some Candy in Your Dessert

Why not make dessert even that much sweeter and add some candy to it? These would be good recipes to make if you had leftover Halloween candy you wanted to make use of too.

 

Cookie Dough Candy Bars

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup canned sweetened condense milk
1 cup finely chopped Snickers candy bars (about 8 fun-size)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons M&M's chocolate candies

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press two-thirds of the dough in bottom of pan; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

Drizzle condensed milk over cookie base. Sprinkle with Snickers pieces and 1/2 cup of the M&M's chocolate candies. Crumble chunks of remaining cookie dough over candy. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons M&M's chocolate candies over top of crumbled dough.

Bake 23 to 28 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Cool completely, at least 3 hours. For bars, cut into 4 rows by  rows.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really good. I loved the Snickers in these bars.

 

Sugar Cookie M&M's Bars

Ingredients:

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup M&M's chocolate candies
1 cup white vanilla baking chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix cookie mix, butter, and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Stir in 1/2 cup of the candies and the white vanilla baking chips. Press dough in bottom of pan. Sprinkle remaining candies over top.

Bake 22 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 hour. Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store in airtight container.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: These firm up really easily, so I would suggest keeping the cooking time at the low end (22 minutes).

You Can't Drink This Version

 

My son loves root beer floats and asked my mom if she could make a root beer float cake. Well, of course she can! There's a recipe for everything out there these days!

 

Root Beer Float Cake

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist white cake mix
1 1/4 cups root beer
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon root beer concentrate or 1 tablespoon root beer flavored syrup
1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1/3 cup crushed root beer flavored hard candies (about 10)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with baking spray with flour.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, root beer, oil, and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake 32 to 36 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan, about 1 hour.

Stir root beer concentrate into frosting. Spread over cake. Just before serving, sprinkle with crushed candies. (Candies will begin to melt 1 to 3 hours after sprinkled on cake.) Store loosely covered.

Recipe notes: For maximum cake height, keep baking spray off the sides of the pan. The cake will climb the sides of the pan better. For a fun soda fountain touch, insert half of a plastic straw into each piece of cake.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: This wasn't exactly what my son was expecting. I'm not sure what he was expecting though. He ended up pouring root beer on top of his cake and he was happy with it that way. Ha ha! As for the rest of us, we were happy with the cake without pouring root beer on top of it.

Yay for Poke Cakes!

 

Who doesn't love a nice, gooey, moist poke cake? This is a pretty wonderful one that will help you satisfy a lot of cravings. Caramel? Check. Nuts? Check. Chocolate? Check.

 

Chocolate-Caramel-Peanut Poke Cake

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist chocolate fudge cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs called for on cake mix box

2 jars (11.5 oz each) salted caramel sauce

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 cup chocolate-flavored syrup

1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.

Make cake as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Immediately after removing from oven, poke holes all over cake using chopstick. While cake is still warm, gently spread 1 1/2 jars of the caramel sauce over cake. Cool cake completely, then refrigerate 2 hours.

In medium bowl, beat cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Spread over top of cake; drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and chocolate syrup; sprinkle with peanuts.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here. 

Notes: Yummy goodness...not a light dessert though, by any means!

Our Yearly Easter Ham

Every Easter needs a ham! Here's the ham we made this year.

Slow-Cooker Maple-Brown Sugar Ham

Ingredients:

1 fully cooked boneless ham (5 to 6 pounds)

1/2 cup honey Dijon mustard

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

Spray 6- to 7-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Make cuts about 1-inch apart and 1/4 inch deep in diamond pattern in top of ham (we opted for a spiral sliced ham instead). Place ham in slow cooker.

In small bowl,s tir together mustard, syrup, and brown sugar with whisk until well blended. Pour mixture over ham.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in ham reads 140 degrees F.

Remove ham from slow cooker. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Strain cooking juices. Slice ham; pour strained juices over ham.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really good and so tender. Delicious stuff! As mentioned above, we didn't score our ham because we got a spiral sliced ham instead.

I Love Using Just One Pot!

 

I love pasta. It's quick and easy. However, it usually takes a lot of pots and pans. I mean, you have the pot to cook the pasta in, the pot or pan to make the sauce in, the strainer, any pots or pans used for side dishes, etc. That's a lot of dishes to do at the end of the night. However, with one-pot meals, you literally only have one pot! Yay for fewer dishes!

One-Pot Parmesan Chicken Ziti with Artichokes and Spinach

Ingredients:

4 cups water
2 cans (12 oz each) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garliv, finely chopped
1 lb. uncooked ziti pasta (I used mostaccioli)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
6 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Juice of 2 medium lemons (about 2/3 cups)
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups baby spinach (5-oz package)
1/2 teaspoon pepper, if desired

Directions:

In Dutch oven, heat water, 1 can of the evaporated milk, the salt, garlic, and pasta to simmering over medium heat. Simmer 12 to 14 minutes, stirring frequently, until pasta is tender.

In medium bowl, beat remaining can of evaporated milk and the cornstarch; stir in chicken and artichoke hearts. Add to mixture in Dutch oven; return to simmering, and continue to simmer 1 to 3 minutes, or until thickened and mixture coats back of spoon.

Remove from heat; stir in half of the cheese and the lemon juice. Stir until cheese melts, then add remaining cheese (rewerving 1/4 cup for serving, if desired) and butter; stir again.

Add spinach, and stir until wilted. Serve with reserved cheese and pepper.

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Watch this carefully because it boils over easily and quickly!

This was a delicious dinner that hit the spot. It was also really quick to throw together.

Breaking From Tradition: Part 2

With our crazy schedules, my mom made a Christmas brunch for people to partake of as they came and went on Christmas day morning.

 

Kielbasa and Hash Brown Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

1 package (14 oz) cooked Polska kielbasa
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
6 cups frozen shredded hash browns, thawed (from 30-oz package)
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)
10 eggs
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons country Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup sliced green onion
Prepared horseradish

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3-quart oval or 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Slice Polska kielbasa in half lengthwise, then in 1/2-inch slices.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook Polska kielbasa over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes or until browned; remove from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. In same skillet, cook onion and garlic 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened. Add spinach to skillet; cook about 1 minute or until starting to wilt.

Layer half of the hash browns in baking dish. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the Polska kielbasa, spinach mixture, and remaining hash browns. In large bowl, beat eggs, and milk with whisk; beat in mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour over hash browns; top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and center is just set. Let stand 15 minutes; top with sliced green onions before serving. Serve with horseradish.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

 

Grandma's Peach French Toast

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons water
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
12 (3/ inch thick) slices day-old French bread
5 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cinnamon, or to taste

Directions:

In a saucepan, stir together the brown sugar, butter, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer for a 10 minutes, stirring requently.

Pour the brown sugar mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and tilt the dish to cover the entire bottom. Place peaches in a layer over the sugar coating, then top with the slices of French bread. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vanilla. Slowly pour over the bread slices to coat evenly. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bread is golden. Spoon out portions to serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by SUDEMERS. You can find it here.

Notes: Oh, this was good stuff. Besides, I'm always a fan of canned or frozen fruit in recipes like this because it kind of kills me to use fresh fruit in a recipe that is just going to be cooked anyway.

 

Overnight French Toast

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, sliced

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine the corn syrup, butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until the sugar has melted. Pour this mixture over the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish. 

Place the bread slices over the sugar-butter mixture in the dish. In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt; pour this mixture over the bread. Cover the dish and let it stand in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve while hot or warm or French toast will harden in the pan. It can be reheated.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by BOBSROAD. You can find it here.

Notes: BOBSROAD wasn't just whistling Dixie. This stuff really does harden in the pan if you don't consume it quickly...to the point of making it really difficult to get out of the pan! However, it's super delicious and if you can eat it fast enough, it is worth it.

The Other White Meat

 

Pork tenderloin is hard to screw up...but pork chops? They are pretty easy to mess up. They can get tough and overcooked so easily...but not if you cook them in a slow cooker!

Slow Cooker Pizza Pork Chops

Ingredients:

6 pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 2 1/4 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cups tomato pasta sauce
4 cups cooked orzo pasta
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Remove excess fat from pork. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork, cook about 5 minutes, turning once until brown.

Place pork in 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle onion over pork. Add pasta sauce.

Cover. Cook on low heat setting for 4-6 hours. Place orzo on platter. Top with pork and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition information: 510 calories per serving.

Source: Betty Crocker website. You can find it here.

Notes: This is just such a nice, easy dinner. It makes a great weeknight meal.

Not Just for the Holidays

 

Despite the name of these dessert bars, these are wonderful at any time of the year.

Holiday Fruit Bars

Ingredients:

Base:

2 pouches (1 lb. 1.5 oz each) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs

Filling:

1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (any flavor of pie may be substituted)

Topping:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press half of dough in bottom of pan.

Spread pie filling over dough. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.

Bake 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.

In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients until smooth. If necessary, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over warm bars. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, these were so good. My mom made these and brought them to a family gathering. As my mom does, she provided lots of options. She made cherry bars, mixed berry bars, blueberry bars, and lemon bars. For the lemon bars, she substituted the almond extract for vanilla extract. These are also really easy to make.

 

Above: Cherry.

  

Above: Lemon.

  

Above: Mixed berry. 

 

Above: Blueberry.

The possibilities are endless! I mean, how many flavors of pie filling are out there? Cherry, Lemon, Mixed Berry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Peach, Apple...yum!

2015 Pie Sunday! Part 2

I was going to try and post all of our pies in one blog post, but it was getting overwhelming, so I decided to break things up! It is probably a good thing for me and for you, the reader.

 

Easy Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (20 squares)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
Grated lime peel for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press in bottom and up side of 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown; cool.

In large bowl, beat milk and lime juice with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and thickened. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into cooled pie crust.

Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until set. Store in refrigerator.

Source: Betty Crocker. You an find it here.

 

Notes: This was so easy and my husband fell in love with this pie. It is his new favorite pie. The flavor is mellow, creamy, mildly tart, and delicious. These pictures don't really do it justice (darned bad winter lighting). I'll have to make it again sometime in the summer and take better pictures.

 

Luscious Lemon Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

Filling:

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 medium lemons)
3 cups whipping cream
4 drops yellow food color, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Make pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell using 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

In medium bowl, mix condensed milk, lemon peel, and lemon juice; set aside. In large bowl, beat 2 cups of the whipping cream and the food color with electric mixer on high speed until stiff.

Fold lemon mixture into whipped cream just until blended. Spoon into crust. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours until set.

In medium bowl, beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Spoon dollops on pie or slices of pie when serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

Source: Pillsbury. You can find it here.

Notes: After making the Easy Key Lime recipe above, I was drawn to this recipe because of how similar it was to the Key Lime recipe. This one was just as delicious. Rather than rolling out my own pie dough, I used a frozen pie crust and cooked it according to the package directions. You can also make this with a graham cracker crust too rather than a pastry pie crust (because it still tastes great, and it is a time saver), but it is great both ways.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Directions:

In small bowl, stir together crumbs and sugar. Add margarine or butter. Stir until combined.

In 9-inch pie plate, evenly spread crumb mixture. Press onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Or bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

Fill as directed in recipe. Makes 8 servings.

Source: I got this off of the back of a box of Keebler Graham Cracker Crumbs. You can find it online here.

Award Winning Peaches and Cream Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (3 ounce) package non-instant vanilla pudding mix
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained and syrup reserved
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease sides and bottom of a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and pudding mix. mix in butter, egg, and milk. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour mixture into pie pan. Arrange the peach slices on top of the pudding mixture.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons reserved peach syrup. Beat for 2 minutes. Spoon mixture over peaches to within 1 inch of pan edge. Mix together 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle over top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown. Chill before serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Debbi Borsick. You can find it here.

Notes: This was more cake-like than pie-like, but it was very tasty.

Eat Your Veggies, Part 1

 

Well, it isn't hard to eat your veggies when they are slathered with three different kinds of flavored butter, now is it?

Slow-Cooker Corn on the Cob with Flavored Butters

Ingredients:

Taco Butter:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon Old El Paso taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)

Bacon Ranch Butter:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon dry ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup diced cooked bacon

Cilantro Lime Butter:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup loosely packed diced cilantro

Corn on the Cob:

6-8 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed
3 to 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

To make flavored butters, mixed together ingredients for flavor(s) of butter desired until well combined. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Wrap ears of corn individually in foil with about 1/2 tablespoon butter in each and place tightly wrapped ears in 6-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours or High heat setting 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Carefully unwrap corn, and season to taste with salt or flavored butters.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: We broke each ear of corn in half because we had more than enough side dishes, and because the corn goes farther this way. This was really tasty and it was fun to have different flavor options.

 

Above: Taco Butter. 

 

Above: Bacon Ranch Butter. 

 

Above: Cilantro Lime Butter.

Summer Salads, Part 1

 

Here's a cool salad with a little kick to it. It won't keep well the next day, but it will be fun while it lasts!

Layered Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

6 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup hot sauce
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups crumbled blue cheese (8 oz)
5 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups grated peeled carrots

Directions:

In large bowl, toss chicken, dressing, and hot sauce.

In 6-quart trifle bowl or glass bowl, layer as follows: Gently transfer chicken mixture to the bowl, being careful to keep sides of bowl clean. Top with sliced celery, then half the blue cheese, focusing efforts around outside of bowl. Top with romaine, then carrots, then remaining blue cheese.

Recipe notes: If you like it spicy, add an extra 1/4 cup of hot sauce to the chicken. It won't change the consistency dramatically.

Serves 16.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this. We served this as a side dish, but this is a perfect main course salad. We tossed the salad to make it easier to serve. This was perfect for summer!

Easter Feast

 

Here are a few tasty discoveries we made this Easter. Delicious stuff!

 

Honey Glazed Ham

Ingredients:

1 (5 pound) ready-to-eat ham
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
2 cups honey
2/3 cup butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Score ham, and stud with the whole cloves. Place ham in foil lined pan.

In the top half of a double boiler, heat the corn syrup, honey, and butter. Keep glaze warm while baking ham.

Brush glaze over ham, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Baste ham every 10 to 15 minutes with the honey glaze. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking, turn on broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from oven, and let sit a few minutes before serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Colleen. You can find it here.

Notes: We bought a spiral sliced ham and used that instead of scoring our ham. Then we served it with three different ham glazes for everyone to use as dipping sauces instead.

 

Easy Peach-Jalapeno Ham Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peach jam
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno chiles

Directions:

In small bowl, stir together jam and jalapeno chiles. Brush over ham the last 45 minutes of baking.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: As mentioned above in the notes for the ham recipe, we didn't use this as a glaze. Rather, we used it as a dipping sauce for the ham. It was very tasty!

 

Easy Blueberry-Chipotle Glaze

Ingredients:

1/3 cup blueberry preserves
2 tablespoons finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7-oz can)
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

Directions:

In small bowl, mix all ingredients with whisk until well blended.

Brush glaze over ham during last 45 minutes of baking.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Ditto in the notes above. We didn't use this as a glaze. We used it as a dipping sauce and it was fantastic!

 

Easy Cherry-Lime-Ginger Ham Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cherry jam
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

In small bowl, beat all ingredients with whisk. Brush over ham the last 45 minutes of baking.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: Again, we didn't use this as a glaze this time around, we used it as a dipping sauce for our ham. Super delicious!

 

Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon mustard

Directions:

Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Alternatively, wrap bacon in paper towels and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute per slice. Crumble and set aside.

Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, crumbled bacon, and cheese. Stir in mustard. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by USEREMILY3260. You can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, bacon just makes everything better, doesn't it? These were fantastic.

 

 

Peeps Easter Garden Cake

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix

Water, oil, and eggs as called for on package

1 container Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

1 can (6.4 ounces) Betty Crocker green decorating cake icing

8-12 Peeps marshmallow bunnies

1 can (6.5 ounces) Betty Crocker orange decorating cake icing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray. Make cake as directed on box. Cool the cake in the pan on cooling rack until completely cooled, 30-60 minutes.

Spread chocolate frosting on top of cake. Sprinkle frosting with chocolate cookie crumbs. Use green icing to make garden rows. 

Insert a toothpick halfway into the base of each Peeps marshmallow bunny. Insert the bunnies, tootpick side down, into the cake.

Use the orange and green icing to make carrots on the cake.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: This was so cute and the kids loved it. We also added some Cadbury chocolate eggs so that the Peeps Easter bunnies could have an Easter egg hunt in the garden as well.